Abstract
Wireless systems are complex devices and a lot of research is done
to improve parts of these systems and get a better understanding of the total behaviour.
One step towards an easier understanding is the ISO-OSI reference model which decomposes
the system into layers.
But still for each layer, easy models are missing where you can learn the behaviour within a few minutes.
Researchers like to use abstract models in order to support an analytic approach
and prefer detailed models that can only be evaluated by means of simulation.
If this abstract view is desired, or a different view on a problem might be useful,
an unconventional model can be handy.
This paper introduces two models,
an electric equivalent circuit and a Petri Net model,
that were known for many decades from other technical areas
and is used here to describe aspects of cellular radio systems, especially based on OFDM.
They are not meant to be more accurate, but instead rather more to round off the high-level understanding.
The models are used to show the impact of multihop techniques, i.e. store-and-forward relays in cellular radio networks,
which is quite an important topic for the cost efficient provision of coverage and capacity.